Polls & Research

Lula Gains Five Points in Brazilian Election

(Angus Reid Global Scan) - Brazil's Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva remains the candidate to beat in this year's presidential election, according to a poll by Ibope. 43 per cent of respondents would support the Worker's Party (PT) member in this year's ballot, up five points since January.

Sao Paulo governor Geraldo Alckmin of the Brazilian Party of Social Democracy (PSDB) is second with 19 per cent, followed by Anthony Garotinho of the Brazilian Democratic Movement Party (PMDB) with 14 per cent, and former PT member and senator Heloisa Helena of the Socialism and Freedom Party (PSOL) with five per cent.

Lula—a three-time presidential candidate—won the October 2002 election with 61 per cent of the vote in a run-off against the PSDB's Jose Serra. In the first round, Lula received 47 per cent of the vote, while Serra garnered 24 per cent.

Last year, the Brazilian government was the target of criticism after Brazilian Labour Party (PTB) member Roberto Jefferson declared that members of two political organizations—the Liberal Party (PL) and the Progressive Party (PP)—received payments of up to $12,000 U.S. from the government in exchange for support in the legislative branch. Jefferson has so far provided no evidence to back his allegations.

On Mar. 14, Alckmin was named as the PSDB's presidential nominee. In his acceptance speech, Alckmin declared, "Brazil can no longer take this wave of corruption, and remain a country without a real project and with a very poor economic growth."

The presidential election is scheduled for Oct. 1. If no candidate garners more than 50 per cent of all cast ballots, a run-off will take place on Oct. 29.

Polling Data

In October 2006, Brazil will have a presidential election. If the ballot took place today with these candidates, which one would you vote for?